5 Things for Monday, October 30: Russia, Catalonia, Spacey, Green Beret
It could be a very interesting day in politics, so brew that coffee strong. More on that, plus everything else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door.
Tesla Factory at Center of Discrimination Lawsuits
Three employees say Tesla's auto manufacturing facility was so hostile to black workers that it was "straight from the Jim Crow era." An assembly line worker says others mocked his pants as "gay tight."
“Rossen to the Rescue” by Jeff Rossen
You know your rights. You’re well aware of what you can and can’t do legally because you’ve armed yourself with knowledge. You have rights and, in the new book “Rossen to the Rescue” by Jeff Rossen, one of them is the right not to be scammed, schemed, or unsafe.
Black and Hispanic Children in Texas Lag Behind Peers On Success Measures, Study Say
African-American and Hispanic children in Texas have more barriers to success than their counterparts from other races, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Undocumented Immigrant Teen Obtains Abortion After Legal Battle
The undocumented immigrant teenager who had been trying to terminate her pregnancy in Texas for the past several weeks had an abortion Wednesday, the ACLU said in a statement.
MBDA Honors 2017 National MED Week Award Winners
Parrish McDonald’s Restaurants Ltd. Named Minority Business Enterprise of the Year
The U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) honored their 2017 National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week Award winners. This year the Agency recognized 15 businesses leaders, advocates and minority business enterprises (MBEs) who have demonstrated proven leadership, commitment and excellence in advancing the interests and the economic achievements of the minority business community.
Houston Fire and Police Departments $14M Over Budget Before Hosting World Series
A quick walk around Minute Maid Park tells you security and emergency response is paramount this week. And in the city's emergency operations center, the dozens of cameras pointed downtown only emphasize that point. As Houston police told Eyewitness News, the Houston Fire Department they too are ready to go with extra staff and gear.
Diagnosed Before 40: TGIN Founder & Breast Cancer Survivor Shares Her Story
When Chris-Tia Donaldson released her first book, Thank God I’m Natural: The Ultimate Guide to Caring for and Maintaining Natural Hair, in the summer of 2009, it was quickly heralded at the “The Natural Hair Bible.” The book dispelled some of the most common myths and misconceptions about kinky hair and gave women a much-needed resource for how to embrace their coils. Following the success of the book, Chris-Tia, a Harvard law school graduate who never had plans of being an entrepreneur, transitioned her talents to the launch of a natural hair care line, Thank God I’m Natural (TGIN).
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Calls Out Apple, Google, Facebook for Hiring Practices
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, alarmed that technology and gig economy companies are not hiring Hispanics as employees, vendors and consultants, is turning up the heat. In a letter sent to 32 top companies, Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Tex.), first vice chair, asked for detailed diversity statistics and an accounting of how much partnership and philanthropic spending is allocated to Hispanic-serving and Hispanic-led institutions.
Statement from Texans CEO Robert McNair
Texans CEO Robert McNair issues statement over controversial comments.
Trump’s Sons to Open ‘Plantation-Style’ Luxury Hotels In Poor Black Areas
Donald Trump’s sons, Eric and Donald Jr., are reportedly investing in luxury resorts in one of the poorest regions of America: the Mississippi Delta. The area happens to be in the heart of Trump’s base. The brothers claim the towers, which are part of a program that the Trump Organization is calling an “American Idea,” will start with a four-star, 100-room Scion hotel designed to look like an antebellum plantation, Newsweek reports.
UNT Working to Retain More Black Male Students
The University of North Texas is taking on a troubling statistic. The school found that it is retaining just over 73 percent of its African American male students.
Warm Up Fall Meals with Wine
Fall is the perfect time to welcome warm, robust flavors to your kitchen as well as your wine glass. With its bold, spicy, dark fruit flavors, cabernet sauvignon is a perfect wine for crisp fall weather.
Pharrell Williams Will Co-own Roli's Modular Instrument Business
There's no question that Pharrell Williams has had at least some fondness for technology (his Daft Punk collabs and gold-tinged smartphones were big clues), but now he's taking that appreciation to Will.I.Am levels.
Houston Cinema Arts Festival Launch Party
On Monday, the Houston Cinema Arts Festival Launch took place at Chapman & Kirby. This year’s 9th Annual Houston Cinema Arts Festival, which takes place Nov. 9 – 13, will have a renewed sense of purpose in the wake of Hurricane Harvey’s devastating impact on the City of Houston.
Rapper Paul Wall Giving Free Grills to the Houston Astros
Houston's had it hard this year, but things might be looking up, as the Astros have made it to the baseball World Series.
Gambling Site Has Atlanta As the Favorite In The Amazon Sweepstakes
Atlanta is the favorite to land the new Amazon headquarters, according to an Irish gambling site.
Shea Serrano’s Life Story Is Set to Come to ABC
The New York Times best-selling author of ‘The Rap Year Book: The Most Important Rap Song From Every Year Since 1979, Discussed, Debated, and Deconstructed’ and ‘Basketball (and Other Things): A Collection of Questions Asked, Answered, Illustrated’ is set to pen a pilot to an upcoming ABC comedy helmed by ‘Parks And Recreation’ creator Mike Schur. The premise for the single-camera comedy focuses on Serrano’s childhood in San Antonio where his five uncles all had varying perspectives on manhood.
Kellogg's to Replace Racially Insensitive Corn Pops Boxes Following Twitter Call Out
Kellogg's will be redesigning Corn Pops cereal boxes after a complaint about racially insensitive art on the packaging. The Battle Creek, Mich.-based cereal, and snack maker said on Twitter Wednesday it will replace the cover drawing of cartoon characters shaped like corn kernels populating a shopping mall.
NAACP Warns Black Passengers About Traveling With American Airlines
The NAACP is warning African-American travelers to be careful when they fly with American Airlines. In an advisory late Tuesday, the organization said it has noticed "a pattern of disturbing incidents reported by African-American passengers, specific to American Airlines."
